432 SEEGOOIl GHAUT. Chap. XXVI. 



CHAPTER XXVL 



MYSORE AND COORG. 



Soegoor ghaut — Sandal- wood — Mysore — Seringapatam — Hoousoor — The 

 tannery — Fraserpett — Mercara — The fort — The Rajahs of Coorg — 

 The Coorgs — Origin of the river Cauvery — Coorg — Climate — Coffee 

 cultivation — ■ Sites for chinchona-plantations — Caryota Urens — Vkara- 

 jendrapett — Cardamom cultivation — Kumari — Poon, blackwood, and 

 teak — Pepper cultivation in Malabar — Cannanore — Nuggur and Baba 

 Bodeen hills — The Beebee of Cannanore — Compta — Sedashighur — 

 Arrive at Bombay. 



The descent from the plateau of the Neilgherries to the plains 

 of Mysore on the north, is by the Seegoor ghaut, the only 

 one which is practicable for carriages. It is much tamer, 

 and not to be compared with those of Sispara or Coonoor ; 

 and at the foot there is a wide belt of thin, stunted, pestiferous 

 jungle, twenty-five miles in breadth, through which the river 

 Moyaar flows to join the Bowany. There are a great many 

 young teak-trees, and sandal-wood is also found, in the 

 forests on the inner or eastern slopes of the ghauts ; but all 

 the timber looked poor and stunted.^ The sandal-wood tree 

 [Santalum album) is about twenty feet high, with numerous 

 spreading branches, and small purplish flowers. Dr. Cleghorn 

 reports that with vigilant supervision, and slight assistance to 

 nature in clearing the heads of young plants, which are often 

 matted down by creepers, an addition might accrue to the 

 revenue of several districts in the Madras Presidency by the 



^ Dr. Cleghorn states that the 

 Seegoor forest has been much ex- 

 hausted by unscrupulous contractors. 

 "It is important," he adds, "that it 

 should be allowed to recover, as it is 

 the main source of supply to Ootaca- 

 mund for housebuilding purposes." 



Captain Morgan has been placed in 

 charge of it, and it is hoped tliat tiie 

 sale of sandal and jungle-wood will 

 cover the expenses, while the young 

 teak is coming on for future supply, 

 P. 36. 



